cannabisnews.com: Lawmakers Weigh Easing Rules on Pot
Lawmakers Weigh Easing Rules on Pot
Posted by CN Staff on January 23, 2008 at 06:15:49 PT
By Kevin Landrigan, Telegraph Staff
Source: Nashua Telegraph
Concord, New Hampshire -- Richard Van Wickler runs the Cheshire County jail system, but he joined a roomful of supporters Tuesday to urge marijuana possession be decriminalized to save both taxpayers' money and the lives of young people who experimented with it and got caught."Peaceful adults in possession of small amounts of marijuana do not harm others, but they do occupy our police, clog up our court system and take up space in our jails," Van Wickler told the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. Two Nashua legislators are seeking to turn possession of up to 1.25 ounces of pot from a criminal offense into a $200 violation.
Currently, possession in any amount is a misdemeanor crime that can mean up to a year in jail or fines up to $2,500. In most cases, it's a fine of several hundred dollars on the first offense."Mistakes early in life, like a possession charge, can be devastating to the futures of our young people," said bill co-sponsor Rep. Jeffery Fontas, D-Nashua, who turned 21 a week ago."Not only can a possession charge be discouraging at the time of arrest and especially distressing to the relationship between parents and children, but it can also reappear later in life, causing consequences often invisible to the public."The measure (HB 1623) does not change motor vehicle laws that consider driving while under the influence of any illegal drug a misdemeanor crime with license suspension for at least 60 days."Our DWI statute should be guided by the safety of motorists," said the bill's other sponsor, Rep. Andrew Edwards, D-Nashua, also 21.But New Hampshire Police Chiefs Association President Peter Morency said the state should not condone marijuana use by ending any criminal sanction."Every drug dealer I've always talked to says it all started with the first joint," said Morency, the Berlin police chief who spent more than a decade working undercover."Don't do this."Attorney General Kelly Ayotte opposed the measure and Assistant Attorney General Karin Eckel said the bill as written would also decriminalize the sale of up to 1.25 ounces of marijuana."Some time ago, this Legislature chose to distinguish between possession and sale of this drug, and this would change that," Eckel warned.If adopted, New Hampshire would become the 13th state to repeal criminalization of marijuana possession, starting with Oregon in 1973 and most recently Nevada, which passed its law in 2001.Other states that consider possession of smaller amounts of marijuana a violation are: Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina and Ohio.Advocates chose the 1.25-ounce threshold because it mirrors Maine's law, which has been on the books since the late 1970s, according to Matthew Simon, executive director of the New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy.Bradley Jardis, of Hooksett, is a police officer in Rockingham County who supports the measure and considers the government's four-decade war on drugs an abject failure."There's a financial incentive for some from law enforcement to oppose this bill as their very own job is financed by this war that can't be won," Jardis said.Supporters said because it's a crime, a single drug arrest can lead to the loss of a college scholarship, the ability to serve in the military, subsidized housing, federal welfare like food stamps and even the right to vote."It is a sensible, mild transition from our current policy that could reallocate state and local law enforcement resources more efficiently and could also very well end up preserving the futures of countless young people," Fontas added.The group is seeking to learn by experience, bouncing back from a failed bill (HB 92) last year that decriminalized marijuana completely."We know it's not feasible to make marijuana legal, but this is a sensible solution to reduce penalties so casual users in their own home aren't looking at their careers being ruined by a drug offense," Simon said.The measure still faces an uphill battle. Last spring, the House came within nine votes of voting to make it legal to possess marijuana for a "medically debilitating" condition.Earlier Tuesday, Rep. Chuck Weed, D-Keene, argued for his measure (HB 1567) to make up it legal to have up to a quarter ounce of marijuana for pleasure or to treat pain. Note: Bill would decriminalize having 1.25 oz. of marijuana.BILL AT A GLANCE: Bill No. HB 1623DESCRIPTION: The bill proposes making the possession of up to 1.25 ounces of marijuana a violation that carries a $200 fine.Currently, possession is a criminal misdemeanor that can result in up to a year in county jail and/or fines up to $2,500.SPONSORS: Nashua Democratic Reps. Jeffrey Fontas and Andrew Edwards.STATUS: The House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee had the first hearing on this bill Tuesday. Source: Telegraph, The (Nashua, NH)Author: Kevin Landrigan, Telegraph StaffPublished: January 23, 2008Copyright: 2008 Telegraph Publishing CompanyContact: letters nashuatelegraph.comWebsite: http://www.nashuatelegraph.comRelated Articles & Web Site:Common Sense Marijuana Policyhttp://www.nhcommonsense.org/Bills Would Lessen Penalties for Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23610.shtmlLegalizing Marijuana Would Save Lives and Moneyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22711.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by dongenero on January 23, 2008 at 12:26:27 PT
What's the Going Price for a Joint?
Thank you Paul. Keep up the good work!
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Comment #2 posted by paul armentano on January 23, 2008 at 11:40:32 PT
What's the Going Price for a Joint?
What's the Going Price for a Joint?
More Than You Might ThinkWeekend Edition
January 19 / 20, 2008By PAUL ARMENTANOWhat's the current price for a bag of weed? According to the latest figures from the FBI, the human cost is roughly 739,000 a year.That's the number of American citizens arrested in 2006 for possessing small amounts of pot. (Another 91,000 were charged with marijuana-related felonies.) The figure is the highest annual total ever recorded, and is nearly double the number of citizens busted for pot fifteen years ago.Read thee full text here: http://www.counterpunch.org/armentano01192008.html
http://www.counterpunch.org/armentano01192008.html
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Comment #1 posted by Yanxor on January 23, 2008 at 10:06:56 PT
"It all started with the first joint"
We're all aware of the statistics correlating cannabis to cocaine (or what have you).What I'd like to know, is for how many of those people, did alcohol and/or tobacco come first.I think its very likely that tobacco and/or alcohol might have a higher correlation to subsequent hard drug use.If anyone knows any studies on this topic, please link.
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